heliconia — [hel΄i kō′nē ə] n. [ModL &LT; L, fem. of Heliconius, of HELICON] any of a genus (Heliconia) of tropical plants of the banana family, having tall, erect leaves and spikes of flowers enclosed in brilliantly colored bracts … English World dictionary

Heliconia — Hel i*co ni*a, n. [NL. See {Helicon}.] (Zo[ o]l.) One of numerous species of {Heliconius}, a genus of tropical American butterflies. The wings are usually black, marked with green, crimson, and white. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English